How Can People Call In Sick All The Time???!!!

[mommaU4]

My Dh also works in a hospital. Someone came into work during the holiday season with the flu. You're around sick people - hello? Not only that, but DH caught that flu and spent our vacation extremely ill - our once a year because we can't afford more than that. Thanks! Not only was the money wasted, but I couldn't even spend that week with DH! Well, I could have sat around while he slept, but I'd get too antsy.

Ugh that is terrible. I have had vacations ruined because one of the kids got sick from another sick kid at school and then they give it to the rest of us. Nothing like planning and waiting for a trip only to have half the family sick!

I agree that if it's something major like the flu then by all means stay home.

 

[chell]

Even if she doesn't have a history of migraines is it possible that they have started? Is it possible that her headaches are cycle related? I've had that problem well over a year and it took that long to finally get some relief for those headaches.

She could be telling a fib and she could be telling the truth. You don't really know. If she has added stress in her life right now it could be making it all worse.

During the last year I was out a lot. After months and months of being sick the mystery was finally solved.

Try not to be too hard on people who are out sick unless you know for certain they are fibbing.

 

[chell]

I am 32 and look healthy, however looks are deceiving. To the contrary I battle chronic pain, dvt's, asthma, coumadin therapy for life.
That would be frustrating to me, to have to cover someone else, funny thing is I cover my co-workers job daily and she is there, but just too lazy to do her job.
Another pet peeve, is the people who come to work really really sick and contageous and then share it with the office and it goes around in circles spreading back and forth in the office, when the person should have stayed home, but is stubborn or doesnt want to burn sick time, and would rather share their illness. It is so frustrating to me because I cant afford to get sick, my immune system is rather weak
Stacie

Same thing here Stacie. I also had to cover for a co-worker because she spent most of her morning reading junk emails and signing up for more.

My immune system is weak too and I do keep going with lots of pain and other issues but when I've got to be out I HAVE to.

 

[Poohnatic]

I feel your pain.

My migraines would come on at work (back before I realized I was severely allergic to Nutrasweet) and I'd literally turn green. Well, if I'm the only manager, tough luck on leaving.

This happened one occasion when my district manager was at my store. I couldn't drive with the aura, couldn't do much of anything. I ended up going in the bathroom and vomiting, then got my toothbrush out of my locker, tidied up and went right back out to working. DM watched in awe, if you didn't know me, you wouldn't notice that I was struggling.

Boss told her "if she calls in sick, then she can't get out of bed!" Learned it from Mom and Dad. OTOH, my DH was raised that if you have a sniffle, you don't go and infect your coworkers (or classmates). Meanwhile, I think he used more sick time in one year than I'd used in 10 (surgeries included!)

I have little patience for those who call out for trivial things. The person who calls out because they have 'cramps' (yep, that's been an excuse) WILL get the riot act from me!

Suzanne

 

[Disney Doll]

A little insight from the employee's perspective.

First of all, it is always assumed in a hospital that when someone calls out that they are not really sick, but taking a "mental health day". I've worked in a hospital for 23 years, and I know that attitude is rampant among management when a staff nurse calls out. Unless you are brought into your hospital's ER on a stretcher boarded and collared after rolling your car twice and hitting a Jersey barrier, management is going to assume you are calling out but aren't really sick. Sometimes it's true that the person is not really sick. But sometimes the person really is sick. And there is a huge difference between feeling lousy but you're at home and can relax so it's not that bad, and feeling lousy when you know you have to work for 12 hours under the conditions that most staff nurses work under these days. Feeling lousy on a 12 hour shift makes you feel really lousy really quickly. And quite frankly, at least in my hospital, no one is giving you a medal, a bonus, an extra personal day, 4 extra personal hours, or for that matter, even a "thank you" for coming to work every day, even if you're sick...as a matter-of-fact, if you are a person who doesn't call out sick a lot, you end up paying the price by having to work extra hard to cover those who do call out. And, those who do call out get the exact same benefits as you!!!! And don't get in trouble. And get rehired after they are fired for calling out!!! So what is the incentive there not to call out if you don't feel well????? There is no incentive.

i would also point out that excessive absence can be a sign of burn out, so keep your eyes peeled for that with this employee. Of course, there are few people in management who care while a staff nurse is burning out, but will be totally shocked when she quits..."I had no idea you felt that way"...well, it's because you weren't paying attention.

 

[Disney Doll]

I have little patience for those who call out for trivial things. The person who calls out because they have 'cramps' (yep, that's been an excuse) WILL get the riot act from me!

Suzanne

Are you aware that an employee doesn't have to share with you the reason that they are callling out sick...at least not in CT.

The few times I have called out, when my employer asks me what's wrong, I say "I am sick. The specifics of that are between me and my doctor."

 

[yeartolate]

I work in a hospital as well and have a twisted problem -- folks call in sick for an event(party etc), but come to work when they are sick.


There was also a scam going around where one would call in sick in order for another to get OT.


Frequently, the less senior staff is afraid of getting denied a specific day off, so they just call in sick.

 

[cdrn1]

Even if she doesn't have a history of migraines is it possible that they have started? Is it possible that her headaches are cycle related? I've had that problem well over a year and it took that long to finally get some relief for those headaches.

She could be telling a fib and she could be telling the truth. You don't really know. If she has added stress in her life right now it could be making it all worse.

During the last year I was out a lot. After months and months of being sick the mystery was finally solved.

Try not to be too hard on people who are out sick unless you know for certain they are fibbing.

I know her really, really well. Really well. She has worked for me since she was 16. I taught her in nursing school. I have seen her through some very tough issues in her life and I am very proud of what she has achieved. She is an excellent nurse. But...she has a new boyfriend, moved in with him 40 miles away, and since then she has been calling in more and more. She actually went two years with no call-ins at all, but not any more. If she had health issues I would know it. There is a definite pattern to it, and I can almost predict it. And my biggest issue is that she doesn't even try to cover herself.

 

[mommaU4]

I have little patience for those who call out for trivial things. The person who calls out because they have 'cramps' (yep, that's been an excuse) WILL get the riot act from me!

Suzanne

I remember using that excuse to get out of P.E. in high school!

 

[chell]

I know her really, really well. Really well. She has worked for me since she was 16. I taught her in nursing school. I have seen her through some very tough issues in her life and I am very proud of what she has achieved. She is an excellent nurse. But...she has a new boyfriend, moved in with him 40 miles away, and since then she has been calling in more and more. She actually went two years with no call-ins at all, but not any more. If she had health issues I would know it. There is a definite pattern to it, and I can almost predict it. And my biggest issue is that she doesn't even try to cover herself.

Thanks for explaining.

 

[chell]

I remember using that excuse to get out of P.E. in high school!

I used it too but mine was because I could barely walk because the pain was so bad. It is sad that a woman really having problems with it isn't believed because so many people play that card when they shouldn't.

 

[Poohnatic]

Are you aware that an employee doesn't have to share with you the reason that they are callling out sick...at least not in CT.

The few times I have called out, when my employer asks me what's wrong, I say "I am sick. The specifics of that are between me and my doctor."

This information seems to be volunteered quite a bit for some reason, when that excuse is given. I don't know why, but it seems to be with the younger employees.

I don't ask for a reason, except when someone says "I'm not going to be there today". Telling me that they're sick is acceptable, but more often than not, the reason is volunteered.

Suzanne

 

[cdrn1]

A little insight from the employee's perspective.

First of all, it is always assumed in a hospital that when someone calls out that they are not really sick, but taking a "mental health day". I've worked in a hospital for 23 years, and I know that attitude is rampant among management when a staff nurse calls out... And quite frankly, at least in my hospital, no one is giving you a medal, a bonus, an extra personal day, 4 extra personal hours, or for that matter, even a "thank you" for coming to work every day, even if you're sick...as a matter-of-fact, if you are a person who doesn't call out sick a lot, you end up paying the price by having to work extra hard to cover those who do call out. And, those who do call out get the exact same benefits as you!!!! And don't get in trouble. And get rehired after they are fired for calling out!!! So what is the incentive there not to call out if you don't feel well????? There is no incentive.

i would also point out that excessive absence can be a sign of burn out, so keep your eyes peeled for that with this employee. Of course, there are few people in management who care while a staff nurse is burning out, but will be totally shocked when she quits..."I had no idea you felt that way"...well, it's because you weren't paying attention.

Wow. That is definitely not the way it is at my hospital. Sorry about your luck! Our employees get attendance bonuses and awards, we have drawings for weekends away, and in my dept I yearly take those with perfect attendance (on my dime) out to dinner and we have a great time. The folks in my dept know they are valued. And I know all about burnout. She hasn't been at it long enough for burnout; if that's it she's in the wroooong profession!

 

[Rajah]

I used it too but mine was because I could barely walk because the pain was so bad. It is sad that a woman really having problems with it isn't believed because so many people play that card when they shouldn't.

Exactly, Michelle. I've had cramps bad enough at times that I couldn't eat, or couldn't move unless I wanted to end up throwing up. I hate it when people who *don't* suffer from cramps automatically assume that everyone uses that as just an excuse.

 

[goodeats]

At my first job we had set PTO days. If you were sick you had to use a PTO day.

At my second job we had vacation time plus six sick days a year. If you didn't use the sick days you lost them. Since it's rare for me to get sick, I got to use some of those days at mental health days.

At my third job we don't really get sick time, but since we're salary if you are sick you get paid. I feel less able to use mental health days now since I feel bad about it. Of course I also have a cyclical job (really busy at certain times, and then dead at others) so I tend to get sick when we are really busy and HAVE to come. There are people with kids who take off a lot when there kids are sick. I probably end up using at most 3 sick days a year.

I personally think the PTO type system is the best where it rolls your sick days and vacation days together.

 

[chell]

Exactly, Michelle. I've had cramps bad enough at times that I couldn't eat, or couldn't move unless I wanted to end up throwing up. I hate it when people who *don't* suffer from cramps automatically assume that everyone uses that as just an excuse.

Sorry to go OT here, but does it ever make you throw up? Now that I'm on the pill I don't have those problems anymore but I used to. Why on earth would it make you throw up? It never made sense to me as to how that could happen but since it happened I know it can.

 

[BalooTheBear]

Deleted...

 

[vivilasvegas]

I get four occurences a year before the warning process starts. (occurence is total sick time of one or more days in a row).

We lose those days if we don't use them. I use all four occurences every year.

Why not? There's nothing special for not being absent, I'm not sick a lot, so I use them for "rest" days.

As long as you don't abuse it, and there are policies set in place to make sure you don't abuse it, I see no problem with people using the sick time that is given to them.

 

[luvwinnie]

I remember using that excuse to get out of P.E. in high school!

I don't get why "cramps" are not a legitimate excuse. I have endometriosis...before treatment I spent one day a month laying in bed crying hoping to die so the pain would end.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

Years ago (1997) I worked for the Disney Store. We always had an on call person just in case someone called in. Well the call in person had a very sick older parent and asked us all the whole week to PLEASE if possible dont call her in becasue she was so worried about her parent.

Well as luck would have it she was called in because one of the younger girls called out for the night.

The real kicker was later that night the young girl who called in came walking into the Store saying she felt so well that she and her friends decided to shop the mall !!!!!!!

I think that was the 1st time I ever saw a store mgr loose it !!!

I;ll never forget that.........

I had something similar happen at my old job. 3 of the girls they hired at one time were friends. 2 were nice and friendly, the other not so much. But neither were the hard working kind. Usually two would have off but the unfriendly one would be on the schedule. Well about 15 min before her shift she would call out sick. She would then be scheduled for the next night with her friends. All she would talk about is how much fun she had at the party the night she was "sick"!!! If you are going to be stupid enough to call out sick for a fake reason, don't brag about your partying that night while at your job!!! She was truly not the brightest in the bunch. The girls were nice but a lot of the time they would call out sick on Fridays so they could party. They did these quite often. Very annoying.

It is one thing to call out sick because you are truly sick. No one wants you to come to work and infect everyone. It is another thing to call out sick because you have something else you would rather do. And if you are going to do that anyway, at least make an attempt to find someone to cover your shift. In my 6 years of working I only called out sick 3 times and each time I was dead to the world on my couch with some horrible virus. My mom actually had to call for me once because I was practically living in the bathroom. I guess this is a work ethic that is dying out with the companies that actually care about their employees.